


The Space Left Between Us

by thelikesofus



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff and Angst, Mentioned Kim Woojin, Platonic Cuddling, Sad, Seo Changbin-centric, Sharing a Bed, Soft Seo Changbin, a couple of tears, cuddle puddle, defying the laws of bed physics, kinda changbin centric, lots of snuggling, the first night after woojin leaves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-10
Updated: 2019-12-10
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:34:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21743833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelikesofus/pseuds/thelikesofus
Summary: a bed that is usually empty can never be too fullORit is the first night after woojin officially leaves the dorm and all of skz squeeze into chan's bed
Relationships: Bang Chan & Seo Changbin, Bang Chan & Yang Jeongin | I.N
Comments: 4
Kudos: 130





	The Space Left Between Us

**The Space Left Between Us**

The first night was quiet. The dorm eerily still, empty. No one knew what to say, what could be said to ease the awkward tension that hung in the air? The atmosphere was thick with whatever Woojin had left behind when he walked out the front door for the last time. 

Barely a sound could be heard as the members got themselves ready for bed that night. The click of the lock on the toilet door behind Hyunjin, the squeak of the shower knob as Changbin turned off the water and Felix’s socked feet pattering across the kitchen floor as he rinsed the last dishes from dinner, the first of many to come with only eight around the table. 

Chan sat at the desk in his and Changbin's shared room. The dull glow of his laptop flickering across his face. His hair was a mess from running his fingers through it, a habit he picked up years ago, mostly brought on by stress and tiredness, now two almost constant sentiments in his life. The last few days had been no exception. A whirlwind of meetings and consultations and emotions that he had bottled up as best he could. Now was not the time to have a breakdown, he had to remain strong, for the other members, for the company. He was their backbone, the only support they had left. He was the eldest Hyung, a concept he was still trying to wrap his head around, one he was not sure he would ever get used to.

Deciding it was time to call it a night, for once deciding that he did not have the motivation to stay up and work on anything tonight, Chan closed the blank document on his screen and shut down his computer. He stretched his arms above his head and tried to shake the tense from his shoulders. Changbin came back into the room, his hair damp and sticking to his forehead, he looked lost even as he stood in the doorway to his own bedroom. Chan smiled softly at him and Changbin tried to return it but it did not come close to meeting his eyes. 

Chan sighed and rose from his seat, taking the towel from Changbin’s hands he took a seat on the edge of his bed and motioned from the younger boy to sit on floor between his feet. Changbin still said nothing as he settled himself with his back facing Chan. Chan took the towel and lay it on top of Changbin’s damp head of hair and began softly rubbing it back and forth, slowly drying the dark locks underneath. It was a methodical motion, almost therapeutic and Chan could feel Changbin relaxing under his hands. Finishing drying his hair, Chan laid the towel on the bed beside him before letting his hands rest on Changbin’s shoulders and his thumbs continue to rub circles into the back of the younger boy’s neck.

“What happens now Hyung?” It is the first thing Changbin has said since coming into the room, and Chan would not be surprised if it was the first words spoken into their dorm since Woojin’s departure.Chan remained quiet for a moment, continuing to rub Changbin’s shoulders.

“Well I suppose we just carry on.” He said finally.

“I’m serious Hyung,” Chagbin continued, turning around to face Chan making the older boy’s hands fall from his shoulders. “How do we do this without him?”

“I don’t know Binnie,” Chan admits, “but either way we have to. He’d only feel worse if we gave up because of him leaving.” Chan’s tongue felt heavy in his mouth and his words hung limply in the air between them.

Changbin seems to accept his response as enough comfort for now though as he nods once quickly before looking across the room at his own bed. The covers were pulled up tightly and the bottom neatly tucked, Gyu resting against his pillow. Changbin knew that this was not the way he had left it when he got up that morning but it had a way of always magically pulling itself together by the time he went to get back into it each night. Changbin supposed he would have to remember to tidy it himself from now on.

“Hyung?” He spoke again.

“Yes Binnie.” Chan was across the room now, tucking away the laundry that had been left resting on the end of his bed, all neatly fold, just like blankets on Changbin’s bed. 

“Do you mind if I stay with you tonight? Just for tonight?”

Chan looked up from where he was closing his draws, he held a sleep shirt between his hands and the weight of the world on his shoulders, but his smile was sweet and his voice soft.

“Of course, let me just brush my teeth. I’ll be back in a moment.” He left the room, heading for the bathroom, ruffing Changbin’s now dry hair with his fingers as he passed. When he returned he had changed into his pajamas and Changbin was no longer sitting on the floor but had moved so he was now on the edge of Chan’s bed, waiting for him.

Changbin made no attempt to move out of the way,s Chan climbed onto the bed from the end and pulled himself under the covers. Looking over at his friend Chan could see that Changbin was once again staring across the room at his own bed but his eyes were unfocused, his mind far away.

“Come on Changbinnie-ah, leave the overthinking for the morning.” Chan tugs on Changbin’s sleeve, hoping to pull him out of his revere. With a soft sigh, Changbin nods to himself and turns around, slowly tucking himself into the bed next to Chan. They lay next to each other for a moment before Chan reaches for the switch above his head to turn out the light. 

In the darkness Changbin rolls towards the older boy and tucks himself against his side. Chan shifts under the blankets so that he is also on his side, tugging changbin forward so that his forehead rests against the centre of his chest.

The darkness wraps around them, chasing away the last of the days' remaining light, a day they would like to forget, or reverse.

A few moments later there is a shy knock at the door, Chan sits up and calls to whoever is on the other side. The door creaks open slowly to reveal Jeongin standing awkwardly in the hallway light, shuffling his feet against the carpet.

“Can I stay here tonight Hyung?” He asks shyly as if preparing himself to be told to return to his own bed but Chan beckons him into the room. Changbin moves back to create a space between the two bodies already in the bed, just enough room for Jeongin to tuck himself in between them. 

Jisung arrives next, not bothering to ask for permission before he enters the room, climbs into the bed between Chan and the wall and wrapping his arms around the older boy’s waist and snuggling so deeply under the covers that only the top of his head is visible. Chan says nothing but moves one of his hands to cover Jisung's, squeezing lightly. A soft sniffle comes from behind him and he squeezes Jisung’s hand a little tighter.

When they had first moved into this dorm none of the members had questioned why Chan got the biggest bed, even considering how little time he tended to spend in it. Countless sleepless nights, insomnia scratching at the back of his eyes and lyrics tumbling over in his head like the spin cycle on a washing machine.Now however, the usually cold bed was full of warm bodies, sardined together with barely any room to breath. But this might have been the easiest any of them had breathed all day. 

Seungmin and Hyunjin arrived as a pair. The both of them huddled together in the doorway, the same duvet hung around both their shoulders. 

“Come in guys.” Chan called into the darkness and the two younger boys shuffled into the room, tripping over each other but refusing to leave the safety of their shared duvet. They set themselves up on the end of Chan’s bed, still cocooned together like yin and yang. Chan sat up briefly to make sure they were properly tucked into their cover. Jisung whined at losing his grip on his human teddy bear and Changbin laughed at him softly. 

Chan brushed his hand over the top of each of the two boy’s heads. Seungmin hummed but otherwise did not react, Hyunjin however preened like a cat under Chan’s delicate touch. Chan smiled softly at them before pulling the duvet up to their chins and returning his original place in the bed, Jisung was quick to latch back onto him. 

Chan barely had a minute to resettle himself before the door swung open again, light from the hallway flitted through the room and his younger Australian dongsaeng came rushing into the room. Felix barely paused as he pushed himself into the bed, making space where there really was not any to begin with but squeezing himself between Jeongin and Changbin. Felix wrapped his arms tightly around the maknae and Chan smiled at him as Changbin threw an arm around Felix’s waist with an amused huff. 

The seven of them lay there quietly, waiting. Minho was the last to arrive. He stood in the doorway quietly, taking in the pile of bodies in front of him. Seeing what was left of his family huddled so closely together. He stepped into the room and paused for a moment, looking back over his shoulder before gritting his teeth and shutting the door firmly behind him, blocking out the last of the light. 

Minho crawled over the bed and the other members to squeeze himself in behind Jisung. At this point Changbin was right at the edge of the bed and Felix and Jeongin were practically on top of eachother but no one was complaining about the lack of space. All of them taking comfort in each other's closeness. 

Chan glanced at the closed door and found a part of himself willing it to open, just one last time. He doubted they could fit anyone else into his bed but he was willing to sleep on the floor if it meant that the door would open just _one_ last time. But he knew better, knew that this was it, this was everyone. He would protect them with everything he had. 

Jeongin looked up at him, his eyes wide and shining. 

“Goodnight, Hyung.” He mouthed, aware that Felix was already snoring into the crook of his neck. Chan lent his forehead against Jeongin’s, rubbing his nose back and forth against the younger boy’s brow. 

  
“Goodnight Innie.” He whispered. _Goodnight._

**Author's Note:**

> so its been a few weeks now since woojin offically left skz and i just finally felt like i could write something. its angsty and i made myself a little bit sad but i finished it and i'm proud of that. i will continue to include woojin in my fics (where appropriate) and he will always be a member of skz in my heart, together or apart.
> 
> big love to you all and have a wonderful xmas and new years.
> 
> love, megs xx


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